Which Archetype Are You?

Ever notice how any successful story throughout history tends to have a similar cast of characters? That’s because everyone has an archetype.

If you haven’t bothered counting, I’ll let you know that most characters will fall into one of 12 principal roles. This explains why and how you find favorite stories so relatable. Carl Gustav Jung, a famous psychoanalyst, defined these characters and the journey they go on as Archetype.

What is an Archetype?

An archetype is something that symbolizes primary human motivations, drives, desires and goals. It influences how we finds meaning in life, what we values, and the personality characteristics that we have. Most people tend to identify primarily with one archetype, although it is possible to be a mix of a few different ones.

Below you have all 12 archetypes, with a brief description. Enjoy!

If you’re a visionary, you value innovation above all else. You look for patterns in the ordinary and try to create order out of chaos. You are intuitive and tend to find it much more comfortable than others to accurately predict trends and look into the future.

You love to exchange ideas, share your opinions, and try out new gadgets. But you also have a tendency to overthink things or catastrophize if stressed and overwhelmed. When this happens, it is essential for you to retreat to somewhere secluded and/or scenic so that you can once again focus in on your next innovative idea that you would like to put into action. Being a visionary archetype, you tend to include the designer, the detective, the director, the entrepreneur, the hermit, the futurist or the strategist.

If you’re a caregiver, you value being compassionate, caring and kind to others, but especially your family and friends. You struggle to say no to people because you love to help out and give as much as you can.

Burnout is a risk if you spread yourself too thin, however. You are easy to get along with, flexible to various situations, and always willing to do what is required to adapt to and fit in with others without losing your sense of self. Your favorite activities involve spending time with those you love, and you are the person that people call or talk to if they have been going through something tough or are in crisis.

The caregiver archetype tends to include the loving parent, the teacher, the nurse, the doctor, the best friend forever, the rescuer, the mentor, the healer, the veteran and the civil servant.

The royal wants power and to be in control. They love being a leader and the boss and love living the high life and the sense of entitlement that comes with this. The royal is not afraid to throw money at a problem so that it will go away, and is willing to use their status, title or name to get what they want and feel that they deserve. Activities, holidays and clothes all need to be the best that money can buy. Royal archetypes include the king, the queen, the prince or princess, the boss, the executive, the politician, the diva and the networker or social climber.

The performer is all about entertaining others and being the centre of attention. Even at social and family gatherings. Like Lady Gaga, they live for the applause and moving others emotionally or making them laugh. The performer wants to be seen and believes that being dramatic and in the right places with the right people is the best way to achieve this. The performer archetype includes the actor, the entertainer, the comedian, the clown or fool, the eccentric, the trickster, the storyteller, the spellcaster, the magician and the provocateur.

The spiritual person has their faith as the cornerstone of who they are. They are belief driven, and pray and seek for what they know to be true to come to fruition. They love to engage in yoga, meditation, and connecting with others on a deeper level and can feel very connected with others and the world around them.

The biggest trap for the spiritual person is magical thinking and not doing enough to take action and change the questionable things in their lives. They instead have hope and faith that things will work out the way they want, even when all the evidence suggests otherwise. The spiritual archetype can include the shaman, the saint, the mystic, the guru, the angel, the missionary, the martyr, the disciple and the Samaritan.

The tastemaker values the beautiful nature of things above all else. They pay attention to trends, fashion and décor, and ensure that whatever they have is as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Different from the royal, they don’t assume that this is just about what is most decadent or expensive.

A tastemaker loves to explore new restaurants, shops, technology and holiday spots. Their weakness is judging others who do not prioritize aesthetics as much as them. The tastemaker archetype includes the fashionista, the goddess, the gentleman and the metrosexual.

The explorer loves adventure, exploring the world, and seeking excitement wherever they are. They are curious about everything new and things they are yet to encounter, and as a result, fear commitment and being stuck in one spot or tied down by someone else in any way. The explorer feels drawn to things unseen and undiscovered and is willing to be practical about what it takes to live their life in this way. They love meeting new people and immersing themselves in new cultures and experiences.

The explorer archetype includes the adventurer, the traveler, the seeker, the discoverer, the wanderer, the individualist, and the pioneer.

The advocate is always being a champion for a good cause and hoping that things will get better if they put up a fight for what they believe in. They may have a tendency of getting too caught up personally in the cause but are willing to back up.

They believe in getting signatures for a petition, fundraising money for a campaign, or organising a protest. They also try to live their lives in a way that is consistent with their values and standing up for those less fortunate or those without a voice, such as flora and fauna.

This archetype includes the hero, the environmentalist, the crusader, the vegan, the lawyer, the feminist, and the human rights advocate.

The Intellectual takes pride in their extensive knowledge about things that are important to them. They are always seeking new information and trying to apply this information in a useful way to increase their wisdom.

If you are this, you can come across as a know it all, but you may like you never have enough new things to learn. They love to spend time reading books and going to museums and are happy to impart their knowledge to anyone who is willing to listen.

The Intellectual archetype includes the philosopher, the student, the geek, the sage, the scientist, the theologian, the crone, the inventor, and the judge.

The rebel’s core values are justice and autonomy. They are fiercely independent and cannot be contained by the social niceties, order and dutifulness. They do what they want at all times, and like adventure and excitement, challenging convention and being deliberately provocative too.

They are at risk of not thinking through the consequences of their decisions, and as a result can overconsume drugs or alcohol or get into trouble with the law, at work, or with those closest to them. Rebel archetypes include the warrior, the hedonist, Don Juan, the femme fatale and the wild man or wild woman.

The athlete lives for staying active, fit, and in shape. They love to compete in anything involving physical activity and are happiest when they have achieved a big, athletic goal.

Athlete archetype have a tendency to turn everything into a competition, which can annoy others, but they are just as happy pushing themselves to improve their health and body. Clothing is worn for comfort and performance only, not aesthetics. Being an athlete you love to attend sporting events and you are happy to watch sport on the TV.

The Athlete archetype includes the competitor, the outdoorsman, the dancer, and the tomboy.

The creative loves being original and genuinely expressing themselves. The creative hates to just repeat or copy what others have done before them. They are happiest creating something from nothing, and this may include a piece of art, but it could also be a meal, an outfit, room in a house or even an idea.

If you are this archetype, you have a tendency to be a perfectionist, and this can make it difficult to begin a new project. Once you get started, you  tend to get into the zone until the project is complete or you need a break. The creative archetype includes the artist, the chef, the child, the poet, the novelist, the shapeshifter and the romantic.

What Are Your Main Archetypes?

At archetypes.com it’s possible to find out which archetypes you are most similar to. This may help you to identify what journey it is you need to take in life, or what areas may be best for you to focus on going forward.